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Garratts in Zimbabwe.

Discussion in 'International Heritage Railways/Tramways' started by RalphW, Apr 15, 2010.

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  1. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Anyone who really wants a last chance to see these locos in action should take a look at the tour being run by Far Rail. http://www.farrail.com/

    Not a very clear satellite show but this is Bulawayo shed and most of thoses locos are Garratts...
    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...8117,28.562173&spn=0.002483,0.005472&t=h&z=18
     
    RalphW, Apr 15, 2010
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  2. Autocar

    Autocar New Member

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    I'd really really love to. However, I've run out of holidays until October now, not to mention the cost of all these. Never been on a Far Rail trip before but am planning to do their trip to Vietnam (and hopefully SW China) to the survive detriment of my wallet.

    Hope you have a good time and I look forward to seeing some photos (and crying over what I have missed!)
     
    Autocar, Apr 21, 2010
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  3. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Just waiting now to see if there are going to be enough bookings for the trip to acually take place, and it will be mainly video...
    Far Rail were suggested to me by David Rogers of SLST.
     
    RalphW, Apr 21, 2010
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  4. Autocar

    Autocar New Member

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    Ralph,

    Sorry to see this tour has been cancelled (lack of bookings I assume).
    If its any help I see that Geoff's Trains are running a tour from 22nd July to 2nd August http://www.geoffs-trains.com/Zimbabwe/zimbabwe10.html, however, I have not been on one of their trips so I cannot endorse them.

    Ben
     
    Autocar, May 13, 2010
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  5. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Thanks Ben, already transferred to Geoff Cooke's trip... Getting stocked up with tapes, just a question on how many? Can you have too much footage of Garratts when they look like these.
     

    Attached Files:

    RalphW, May 13, 2010
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  6. RayMason

    RayMason Member

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    Rob Dickensons' site says a public garrett run went to Plumtree with 61x in prep for the football tourist influx in S Africa!!!!

    I travelled with Geoff twice. Once on a fantastic RTC tour 13yrs ago + a return V F - Bulawayo run with 3-5 other passengers so LOTS of cab-rides.

    Superb+excellent value. This was awhile ago + before he moved to the UK. I understand Farrail was hit by the poor Euro/US$ rate (trip priced in US$)

    Personally,I wish Geoff lots of luck as Zim/S Africa steam trips are not easy to set up these days!! Enjoy the fun........!
     
    RayMason, May 17, 2010
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  7. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Thanks Ray, When I spoke to him a couple of days ago there were 47 on the tour although a few are not doing the rail part, and he has a fairly full programme for them as well. He also said the NRZ have allocated one Class 14A, one Class 15A and one class 16A for our tour, and that steam trains have run to Plumtree and to Heany Junction (past Cement) in the past few weeks.
     
    RalphW, May 17, 2010
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  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Just got back this morning and it was a fabulous trip, all credit must go to Geoff Cooke of Geoffs Trains, as we got exactly what was promised, 14, 15 and 16A Garratts. From Bulawayo we had runs on the Plumtree line, a short run to Cement and then a full day to Dete. Then a couple of days running from Thompson Junction before finally a couple of runs out of Victoria Falls. The train crews were the most friendly guys you could meet and nothing was too much trouble. Every run had either one or two of us on the footplate, but it did get a little crowded as with two trainee firemen as well there were sometimes 7 on.
    Video will be up in a day or two.
     
    RalphW, Aug 3, 2010
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  9. RayMason

    RayMason Member

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    Brilliant Ralph!!

    Can you list the locos that you saw in steam+those that you rode on? Was the VF/Zambia operation working?

    Did you have continuous steam BUL-VF? So glad this worked for Geoff as I think he might run more if locos/coal/resouces available.

    Did you hear if there were more "World cup spls"??

    Many thanks RAY
     
    RayMason, Aug 3, 2010
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  10. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Ray, the three that we had were 395, 525 and 611, and yes the VF Zambian operation was working as it was the one we used for the VF to Livingstone run, where 204 was also in steam for us.
    We did not have continuous steam from Bulawayo to VF due to operational reasons. We got as far as, I think it was, Zanguja sidings and then bus from there to VF. Geoff was saying that condition of locos permitting he was going to run again next year.
    I heard nothing about World cup specials.
     
    RalphW, Aug 4, 2010
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  11. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    This is the first part of my record of the tour. Sunday was a short run from Bulawayo to Cement and return, the weather remained dull for most of the day.

    [youtube]Zdcigtv8gSQ&hd=1[/youtube]

    Part two

    [youtube]A_-Wv3slZJU&hd=1[/youtube]
     
    RalphW, Aug 4, 2010
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  12. RayMason

    RayMason Member

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    Excellent news Ralph. Sounds like a excellent trip+thanks v much for replying/reporting.

    As Zimbabwe gets slowly back on its feet we can hope that a place remains for steam with its potential for tourist earnings+much needed employment
     
    RayMason, Aug 4, 2010
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  13. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Things certainly seemed better than 4 years ago, and the crew members on our train had a much more positive attitude mainly it appeared down to the stable currency now they have taken the USD to be official.
    I was offered a set of Zim dollar notes from a 10 billion dollar one right up to the Trillion dollar note, for $10, I refused and got them for $1.
    There were plenty of tourists at VF and the majority were Japanese, and even some Americans, who I believe a few years back would not venture near the country.
     
    RalphW, Aug 4, 2010
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  14. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Part Three.

    [youtube]UKtOFBhPfbQ&hd=1[/youtube]
     
    RalphW, Aug 5, 2010
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  15. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    Super footage Ralph :) Will provide lots of happy memories in the future.
     
    60017, Aug 6, 2010
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  16. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Try Part Four then.

    [youtube]PyPraVJDSk4&hd=1[/youtube]
     
    RalphW, Aug 6, 2010
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  17. 60017

    60017 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    60017, Aug 6, 2010
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  18. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Thanks John, there were some great locations. The loco continued to run for two more days in that condition before making it's way back to Bulawayo, I suppose to be repaired with parts cannibalised from their stock of scrap locos.
     
    RalphW, Aug 6, 2010
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  19. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    Part Six.

    [youtube]s7BQf7RFyAQ&hd=1[/youtube]
     
    RalphW, Aug 16, 2010
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  20. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    One of the guys on this tour has just sent me a link to the site with his selection of stills and has said that I can pass on the link to anyone interested.
    http://issuu.com/paulperton/docs/gtvf
     
    RalphW, Aug 29, 2010
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